


Daylilies are Weeds, but Beautiful Weeds

by IDoNotSleep



Series: The City is Contagious [11]
Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Don't Judge, F/M, and leading into a Plot, just some character thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29545827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IDoNotSleep/pseuds/IDoNotSleep
Summary: Mikey thinks about the girl he likes
Relationships: Michelangelo (TMNT)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The City is Contagious [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063859
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Daylilies are Weeds, but Beautiful Weeds

Michelangelo wasn’t the kind of turtle to really notice things. He knew that, and most everyone around him knew that. He lived in the moment, embraced everything about him. It was endearing to his family and friends, but he knew it bothered folks.

But Stef. Stef, he wanted to observe and watch all the time. Every time they sat together chatting, he found himself watching her expressions, her hand, all in an attempt to find out everything about her. Stef wore her expressions on her face all the time but her thoughts? Her thoughts were all hidden.

He wanted to know more.

First thing he figured out was that she really liked dogs. All sizes, all breeds, all ages. She’d coo at pictures of beagles and get teary eyed watching videos of pitbulls being adopted. There were stickers on her phone, saved videos, and any time a stray night walker strolled by, she’d get all misty eyed and look so lonely and kind of sad. 

“I had a dog when I was younger,” she explained. The picture she showed him was of a handsome, older beagle mix smiling and looking out the window. “He was my rock through a lot of stuff, and I miss him to this day.”

“Do you want another dog?”

“Maybe. I’d have to be in a better place first.”

Second thing he figured out about her was how she liked contact with him. She liked holding his hands, having a hand on his knee, and leaned into his touch every time he put an arm around to lean back and relax. She sank into his touch, like she’d never feel it again.

“Touch starved,” she told him. “I just like being hugged and held.”

“You can always ask for more hugs.”

“I don’t want to bother people.”

Stef was also brilliant. Any topic he’d bring up, be it local politics or food or travel or whatever they’d dream up, she’d eagerly offer her knowledge and thoughts. In the weeks he’d gotten to know her, Mikey learned more about the world than he’d ever thought he would. Like how honey can taste different depending on the flowers they came from, or how sugary candies are made, or even how needlepoint patterns inspired modern switchboards.

He used all these factoids to annoy the living hell out of his brothers.

She drank high caffeine tea and coffee. She hummed all kinds of songs, be it Abba or Poison or Carly Rae Jepsen. She snorted when she laughed. Everything little thing she did or said or anything, Mikey ate it up. He loved it.

What amazed him, though, was her love of flowers. And not just the usual roses and peonies and lilies and such.

“I really want to see some daylilies soon.”

Mikey paused his soda sip. “Daylilies?”

She nodded. “Back at home, during the summer, you could find a bunch of tiger lilies on the sides of roads and in ditches. Even if you picked a bunch to take them home, they’d be back within a week.”

“Why do they call them daylilies? Are they really pretty?”

Stef shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. “I think so. Technically, they’re weeds, but they are really resilient. Frost and flood and drought, they withstand.” She paused and smiled to herself. “Kinda like you.”

“Me?” That was surprising.

“I mean...” She glanced away and picked at her fingers a smidge. “You’re always here, always smiling and making my nights a little easier. It’s relieving. It’s like ‘hey, no matter what happens here, Mikey will still be there.’”

The turtle took a second to absorb her words. Her feet tapped and danced on the ground, she couldn’t look at him, and... Mikey melted again.

“I’m there, huh.”

“Right there.” 

Stef stood then, and he knew she was off again. Perhaps she had to go write again. Maybe she’d sleep. Who knew? Mikey settled deeper into the bench and watched her go, wondering if she was still thinking about what they talked about. Maybe he’d go find her some daylilies, if there were any nearby. It wasn’t like the freeze really hit yet.

He wanted to do that, but then. Then his phone chirped the eager tune of ‘Inspector Gadget’. Mikey fished it out and balked. What? Donnie never actually called. 

He told his older brother as much.

“Listen, I know. But dad called, and he needs us home now.”


End file.
